Rack or file for correspondence and the like



Mam 2Q 11923. 1,449,194

RACK OR FILE FOR CORRESPONDENCE AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 51, 1919 ,"sh ets-sheet 1 Mar. 2% E923.

H. 04 ROSS RACK OR FILEFOR'CORRESPGNDENCE AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 51, 1919 '2 sheets-sheet 2 pail.

HERBERT O. BOSS, OF ST. LOUIS, TIISSOURI.

Application filed December 31, 1919. Serial No. 348,612.

To call whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, Hummer O. Boss, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Backs or Files for Correspondence and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in racks or files for correspondence and the like.

The chief object of my present invention is to provide a rack adapted to rest upon a desk or other such support and wherein letters, papers, documents, and the like pertaining or relating to different matters or to different departments of a business may be conveniently filed, on being assorted, for distribution in due course to the particular departments or for ready accessibility for use in connection with the particular matters. Other objects of my invention are to provide a rack or file especially of the kind and for the purpose stated which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in form and construction and neat and attractive in appearance, and in which the number of compartments, and hence the capacity of the rack or file may be increased or decreased with facility and convenience to meet the needs or requirements of any particular use or installation.

With the above and other objects in view my present invention resides in the nove features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and afterwards pointed out'in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of rack or file constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a broken side elevational view partly in vertical section, of one of the rack sections or units;

Figure 3 is a broken or fragmental plan view of the rack or file, showing one end only thereof;

Figure 4 is an elevationalview of one of the end-unit index-card pocket-fornung members.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of one of the combined unit-connecting and indexcard pocket-forming members;

Figure 6 is a fragmental perspective view of one of the intermediate rack-sections or units;

Figure 7 is a similar view of one of the end rack-sections or units;

Figure 8 is a similar view of the other end section or unit of the rack; and

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the other end of the rack.

Referring now more in detail to the said drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, the rack or file is made up of or comprises a pair of end sections or units and, generally in practice, one or more intermediate sections or units.

The one end unit or section A illustrated particularly in Figure 7 comprises a basemember preferably in the form of a suitably elongated rectangular block 1 of wood or other suitable material, block or base 1 having spaced upper and lower faces or walls connected by parallel side walls or faces and being provided adjacent its ends and upon its sides faces or walls with vertically di posed grooves or ways 2, for purposes shortly appearing. Disposed upon and slightly spaced from an end of the block or base 1, is preferably sheet-metal plate 3 having side-portions 4 bent to extend flatwise upon the opposite side faces or walls of the block 1, the plate-portions 4 having, in turn, block-gripping extensions 5 bent inwardly to fit in a pair of the grooves 2. The plate 3 is also I provided with a lip-extension 6, which is bent to extend fiatwise upon the under face or wall of the block 1, a plate fastening-screw or the like 7 being passed through the extension 6 and into the block 1, as shown. The plate. 3 thus provides a pocket at the end of the compartment or unit for receiving an index-card by which the contents of the particular compartment may be indicated or designated, the body of the plate 3 being suitably cut away or apertured, as at 14, to provide a sight-opening through which such card is readily visible. Similarly providing or forming an indexcard receiving-pocket at the other or opposite end of the base or block 1, is a plate 8 identically similar in form and construction to the plate 3, except that in lieu of the lip 6, plate 8 is formed or provided with a suitably elongatcd extension 9, which is bent and adapted to extend obliquely of and upon the under f race not only of the base 1 of ther that theplates 3 are oppositely disposedto! the plates 3 and 10 of suitable height andaof suitable mate rial, such as, for instance, sheet metal, heavy card-board, beaver-board, orthe like, the

panels or walls 10 being rigidly fixed to the base or bIOCkI; 1 in any suitable-manner, such asby means of the fastening or securing screws 11. Spot-welded or otherwisevsuitably 'fixedpto the outer face ofone Ofzthe walls 10, are angle-members or the like 12,"

which serve-both as supporting-braces for the end-section or unit and also to add an attractive finish to the rack.

The other. or opposite end-sectio11;B,illus trated particularly in-Flgure 8, is substan-,

tially similar in alltrespectsz to end -section orunit A, except I that the-inner upright panel or wall 10 isuomitted, and except 'fur and 18 ofsectiOn B 8 of section A, as seen. by reference to Figures 3'and9. I I

Each intermediate sectionC, illustrated particularly in Figure 6, is substantially similar. in all respects to end-section or .unit B, except that the supporting-braces 12 are omitted and-each end of theunitis provided with a combinedUnde -card pockettorming and 'unit-connectingplate -8,-the plates 8 of the section C being oppositely disposed. to each other, as also seen by reference to Figures 3 and 9.

\ Should a" rack of buttwo compartments be desired, the same maybe conveniently formed or built up of but-two end-sections,

such as the sections A and B, the obliquely disposed .or extending portions9 of the plate 8 f section or unit A being fixed to the under side or face of the base l of section B by screws or the like 13 and the oppositely disposed extension 9 of the plate8 of section'or unit B being similarly fixedto the base of unit A.

Should a rack or file f three compartments be desired, the same may be convenently formed orbuiltup of two end secticnls units A and B andan intermediate section or unit C, the several units being d sposed in PZOPGII'OlEEtlOFIOHS to the other w th the section or unit C interposed between the end-units, the oppositely disposed plate-extensions 9 of unit C-bein-g fixed as described one tothe base of end unit A and the other to the base of end unitB and the plate-extensions 9,0f'the units A and B being; in turn, fixed to the unit C, as further seen bvreference to Figures 3 and9. In a similar manner, a rack of with facility be built run or formed. to in clude or comprises, as will now'be evident my invention may and as seen in said Figures 3 and 9, any desired number or" intermediate units, the capacity of the rack being thus readily and conveniently increased or decreased to suit or fit the needs orrequirements of any particular use or installation.

It will also be evident that, should a rack of but one unit and one compartment be'desired, the end section A will suliice, a plate 3 being substituted in-licu of its said plate 8, and its other wall 10 being similarly equipped or provided with the brackets 12.

Thus I provide a rack or file for the-purposes stated and. one whose capacity, as before stated, may be increased or decreased with convenience and facility and practically at will, as may be desired, the rack being ne which may be produced inexpensively and furnished at low cost, which is an attractive addition to a desk,

well adapted and which tends largely to the desk efficiency of the user.

I am aware that changes in the'form, con-- struction, arrangement, and combination of the'several parts of'm'yrack or file maybe made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing lromthe nature and principle of my inven- Having thus described any invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rack of the class described including, I as a compartment-forming unit, a rectangular floor-member-having spaced upper and under walls connected by parallel side-walls, and a separate upright wall flatwise disposed at an end upon and rigidly fixed to a side-wall of-the floor-member, the floormember forming the supporting base of the unit and being adapted to rest atits under wall upon a supporting surface, and said separate wall being approximately'flush at its lower edgewith the plane of the under wall, and projecting at its upper e'dgeabove the plane oftheupper wall, of the floormember.

2. A rack of the class describedincluding a plurality of compartment forming units, each unit comprising a rectangular floormember having upper and under walls conand a separate being adapted to rest of the floor-member of one unit and having an extension adapted for engagement with the floor-member oithe other unit for securing the units together in connected relation.

4%. A rack of the class described including a plurality of compartment-forming units, each unit comprising a floor-member and an upright wall fixed to the floor-member, in combination with a plate engaging an end of the floor-member of one unit and having 10 an extension adapted for engagement with the floor-member of the other unit for securing the units together in connected relation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HERBERT O. ROSS. 

